May 2016 Reading Roundup

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Is it seriously already this time of the month again?! I don't really understand why May flew by the way it did. I can recall only a handful of really fun things that I did, so it's not like time flew by because I was having fun. I did not read a ton in May. I was not in the mood for audio-books, electing instead to watch the terrible show, Vanderpump Rules.

That show is quite possible the worst thing I have ever watched, yet I can't stop. I can't stand any of the cast and I wonder how Stassi can have any friends at all. I keep hoping it will be revealed to me. Does she pay them? Does she just surround herself with spineless people who have incredibly low self-esteem? If someone treated me the way Stassi treats other people, I would probably be in prison. Just saying. Anyway onto the books that I did manage to read.

Buzz Books 2016: Spring/Summer: I am really sick of picking up books that I don't even really like. This is especially true with NetGalley and Edelweiss! These excerpt compilations have been around for a few years now and at first I thought, "What a waste of time. Why would I even read that?" Then I thought back to how I used to go about choosing books. Way back in the day, 2009 to be exact, I would read the synopsis of a book, read the first chapter and then read the last page. I hardly ever found myself reading a truly crappy book when I employed this tactic and here was a compilation of 40 books that editors are really excited about! Each title has a synopsis and a chapter. I don't think it was always the very first chapter, but a large majority did select that as the excerpt. I have yet to read any of the books I added to my TBR, but I'm feeling confident that they will be enjoyable! I've also download the Fall/Winter selections and will continue to check this out! Request it!

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin: At this point, I have read all but two of Giffin's books. It's funny because I didn't really like most of those books. What I do like is that Giffin typically does a good job of exploring situations that I doubt I would find myself in. Situations where, in the past, I may have unfairly judged someone else in that situation. She makes me reconsider my stance and has helped me develop greater empathy and that is why I keep reading her books.

First Come Love deals with the aftermath of losing the prized sibling, the sibling who really held the family together. I'm not sure how I would deal with that, but it was so interesting to see how differently each member of the family, especially the sisters handled it all. I think this may just be my favorite yet! Worthy of my shelves.Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid: It took me quite awhile to get through this book. I did really like it, very Silding Doors-esque and I'm not really sure what my deal was. It's crazy how one seemingly small decision can alter just about everything. I was pleased that the author chose to keep some outcomes the same in each timeline for some of the characters. That made it feel more plausible to me. While I liked this book, I don't feel a desire to read it again therefore, borrow it.Trim Healthy Mama Plan by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison: This is a plan that works to cut out sugar and substitutes it with stevia. It also encourages you to alternate between high fat/low carb and high carb/low fat meals. You never want too much of both together in the same meal. I know a couple of people who have been following the plan and have successfully lost weight, increased their energy levels etc. I've never, ever dieted. I don't count calories. I'm just barely starting to figure out what is in my food, so it has been tricky for me to really understand this plan. For the month of May I attempted to have the majority of my breakfasts follow this plan, with a little help from their cookbook. I definitely noticed my energy levels were improving and I stayed fuller longer. I don't know that I will ever be 100% following this, (I love normal pasta!) but I will definitely incorporate more of their advice in my daily life. Read it.

This month I'm going to have to crank out the audiobooks because I'm currently 8 books behind on my Goodreads goal and I really, really want to reach 100 by January 1! Yet, I'm currently reading The Pillars of the Earth!